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YESTERDAY'S LATE TELEGRAMS

Auckland. The South British Insurance Company have declared an interim dividend.

The clerks in the various banking institutions of the city propom raising a rifle corps. It is expected that 80 members will be obtained.

The experiments in manufacturing gun cotton in Auckland have proved must satisfactory.

Auckland contractors have to-day stripped their works of 100 mori to woilk at the harbor defences. Two hundred and f irty men are to be employed. An excursion train left this morning for the Waikato, with a number of leading citizens, to take part in the ceremony of turning the first sod of the Punui railway extension. GtSBORNB One thousand votes were polled in favor of the harbor loan, and only five against. The Board decided on taking the preliminary steps for raising the loan, and will discuss the appointment of an engineer at next meeting. Tamai Mahe, a Maori, has poisoned himself with tutu, which he boiled and drank as medicine. Wellington. The question of appointing local Boards under tne Government Insurance Association will probably come before the Central Board next week. A charge of- assaulting the chief gaoler has been laid against a prisoner named Dimmots. Thefollowing tenders have been received for the Post and Telegraph Office, Greymouth :—Accepted: R. Martin, Dunedin, L9OB. Declined : Arnott and Seabrook, Greymouth, L 972 ; Holder and Reilly, L1,(’59; P. Uyndman, Christchurch, LI 245; F. J. Gleason, Greymouth, L 1,324. Dunedin.

A fire at Otakia on Monday destioyed a stack containing 200 bags of oats, ’ the property of Mr Thomas Shand, valued at LBO. The oats were uninsured. This is the second fire on the same farm recently, and incendiarism is suspected. A deputation from the University Council waited on the Hon Mr Larnach to day to ask Government assistance towards permanently establishing a school of mines in connection with the University. Mr Larnach said ha thought he would have little difficulty in persuading his colleagues to meet the Council in the matter

The Defence Department has been offered, through Lieutenant-Colonel Staveley, the services of a number of men who

are excellent marksmen, good horsemen, and thoroughly acquainted with the coast line between Waikouaiti and the Taien. r ] he idea is that such a corps of irregulars could act as scouts. Seventeen prisoners were charged at the Police Court with misconduct and insubordination in refusing to work at the Heads. Vickers, a ringleader, was sentenced to eight days’ bread and water and to forfeit 50 marks, and the others got five days’ bread and water. At the local option polling for the city to-day, the majority was about four to one against tha inereise of any licenses There were only about 300 votes polled. ] The glove fight, Pettengoll v. Scott, resulted ir favor of the former, who had an easy victory, Scott being beaten at every point. A lad about 16, named Smith, son of an hotelkeeper at Anderson’s Bay, died very suddenly to-night. He returned from school apparently quite well, was taken ill about half-past five, and died within an hour. Dr Ooughtrey does not know the cause, and an inquest will probably be held.

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